Fight to the Phone

Erratum:  Chloe requested that I set the record straight about the story below.  She said that what got her goat was that Grammy started dialing the phone to call me as she herself was getting ready to call me, and that just was not fair.  Grammy – do you care to rebut?

Chloe cracks me up.  She’s very righteous.  Has a keen sense of right and wrong.  I guess she’s not so different from most kids her age.  I was certainly like that, too, many moons ago.

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Ithaca 2012

Every summer, the girls go to Ithaca with my mom to visit my aunt and uncle. And every year, I wish I could go with them. It’s admittedly tiresome to experience this same longing year after year. Will I ever do something about it?

In the meantime, all I can do is enjoy the photos my mom sends, including these two taken a couple of hours ago at Lake Cayuga.

Is that Chloe practicing for some future job as a lifeguard?

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They’re British?!?!?!

We’ve been watching the opening ceremonies for the 2012 Summer Olympics, which has an act that serves as a fantastic tutorial in the history of modern (i.e., the last 50 years or so) British music.

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Chloe and Sophie Together Again

Like peas in a pod, at least for now.  For the most part, anyway.  Except for earlier this evening when Sophie served as Chloe’s sous-chef making chocolate muffins.  I came home to a house that smelled like a chocolate factory and an 11-year old daughter who was upset with herself (yes, you read correctly – she was upset at herself) for losing patience with her little sister during the baking session.

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Chloe is Tall

Chloe seemed taller to me when we picked her up on Friday. Granted, she’d only been gone one month, and we saw her for visiting day.

Maybe she’s just standing up straighter, I initially thought. But something was definitely different. I took out the tape measure.

With Chloe’s back up against the wall, I was determined to find out once and for all if I was imagining her growth spurt.

Needless to say, I am not going crazy. My little Chloe is now officially over 5 feet tall. Which means, I hope, that she takes after her Papa’s side of the family.

Chloe Comes Home

Tomorrow’s the day.  After a one-month vacation from her family, Chloe comes home tomorrow.  I can’t wait.

The first two weeks of quiet were enjoyable.  And although I loved all the one-on-one time we had with Sophie, the second two weeks were a little too quiet.  I started to miss the chaos, the badgering and  the mess she creates.  Having half the usual mess in the house is just not so fun.

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Caricature Sophie

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My company hosted its annual picnic this evening and Sophie had tons ‘o fun.  She particularly liked her caricature.  I tried explaining to her that Farrah Fawcett had nothing on her, but she didn’t get it.  It’s funny how certain fleeting cultural references, those that resonated so strongly when we were kids, mean absolutely nothing to our children’s generation.

We’re just getting older.  With every passing day.  Ugh.

A Mom's Ramblings About the Marvels & Mishaps of Parenting, the Joys of Family Travel & the Writing Life